Bottle carrier



D. T. ORR

BOTTLE CARRIER Aug. 11, 1964 Filed May 29, 1962 m MR ER 0 m T" E L A D ATTYS.

United States Patent 3,144,269 BOTTLE CARRIER Dale T. Orr, 715 Nome Ave., Akron, Ohio Filed May 29, 1962, Ser. No. 198,547 7 Claims. (Cl. 294-8728) This invention relates to bottle carriers, and particularly to a portable unit which is readily engageable with a plurality of bottles for transporting and storage of such bottles but to permit individual release thereof, when desired.

At the present time, there have been various types of cartons provided for transporting a number of articles, such as six bottles or cans in a convenient manner. However, none of such containers or carriers, insofar as I am aware, positively interlock with the bottles or articles carried in any permanent manner.

In many instances, it is desirable to cool the contents of the bottles in circumstances where no normal type of refrigeration means is available. Hence frequently bottles may be deposited into a large body of water, such as a river or stream for cooling purposes. It will be seen that it is very difficult to control bottles while the contents thereof are being cooled in such manner. Thus a positive engaging, easily controlled type of a carrier for the bottles that could also double as a support or carrier for the bottles while they are being cooled, under unusual conditions, would simplify control and positioning of the bottles for transport and cooling actions.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide a new and improved bottle carrier unit characterized by the fact that it can positively secure a plurality of bottles thereto and permit only individual release of the bottles when desired by predetermined movements between portions of the unit and that it is adapted to be suspended as a unit, for example, in a large body of water for cooling action on the bottles and their contents.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bottle carrier or similar article where two relatively movable members are provided with one member having a plurality of slots therein for receiving and engaging the neck or cap portions of bottles therein, and with the second member being adapted to present associated surfaces for engaging the bottles adjacent their tops to maintain them in the slots in the other member, but with the second member having one release opening that can be aligned with any given bottle to permit individual release thereof.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a sturdy, relatively inexpensive article which can be positively engaged with a plurality of bottles for transporting, storage and/or cooling actions thereof, as desired, and where the entire article can be immersed in water without any damage to the article or possible loss of the bottles carried thereby.

Another object of the invention is to provide a small lightweight, easily transported bottle carrier where one person can conveniently control the bottle carrier and provide proper relative movement of diiferent portions of the carrier to load or unload bottles into or from the bottle carrier.

A further object of the invention is to provide a durable bottle carrier that can be made at relatively low cost, but which will provide a long service life under relatively rough use conditions.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made more apparent as the specification proceeds.

Attention now is particularly directed to the accompanying drawings, where:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an article carrier of the invention showing a plurality of articles operatively en- "ice gaged therewith and with one article being shown in position for engagement with or removal from the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded fragmentary vertical section of the components of the article carrier as shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the selector plate in the bottle carrier; and

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the bottle hanger plate in the bottle carrier.

When referring to corresponding members shown in the drawings and referred to in the specification, corresponding numerals are used to facilitate comparison therebetween.

Generally speaking, the present invention relates to a bottle carrier and positioning article comprising a pair of superimposed, substantially fiat members the lower member being larger than the upper member, which upper member is a disk, means securing the members together for relative rotation therebetween, and a handle means secured to the upper member to facilitate transport of the bottle carrier and relative rotation between the members, the lower member having a plurality of key-shaped slots therein with portions below the upper member for passing bottle necks and caps therethrough and with connecting sections extending radially beyond the upper member for engaging bottle caps or any neck bead on a bottle to support a bottle on the margins thereof, the

upper member having an edge positioned to secure bottles in said slots and having a peripheral slot therein of a size to pass a bottle cap therethrough and positioned so that rotation of the upper member relative to the lower member is adapted to bring portions of the slots into register whereby bottles can be individually positively engaged by or released from the bottle carrier.

Attention now is particularly directed to the accompanying drawings, wherein a bottle carrier embodying the principles of the invention is shown and is indicated as a whole by the numeral 1. This bottle carrier 1 is made from a pair of superimposed, substantially flat members or plates 2 and 3, with the lower plate comprising a hanger plate 2, and with the upper plate 3 being a selector plate and comprising a substantially fiat metal member that has a circular periphery in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

A conventional means, such as a rivet 4, is used to secure the lower and upper plates 2 and 3 together for relative rotation therebetween. In the embodiment of the invention shown, both of the plates 2 and 3 have substantially solid center portions, and in this instance the lower plate 2 has a downwardly dished center portion 5 in which the upper plate 3 is received.

To facilitate carrying, transport, or suspension of the bottle carrier 1, a suitable handle is secured thereto. Thus a bale-type handle 6 is shown pivotally engaged with the upper plate 3 and has inwardly turned end portions 6a of the handle 6 bearing thereon. Such handle ends 6a engage with anchor straps 7 and 8 that are formed integrally with but punched, or formed to extend from the upper plate 3 to secure the handle to such plate.

It is a feature of the invention that the superimposed plates 2 and 3 have slots formed therein by which bottles 9 can be individually positioned in mechanical, or positive engagement with the bottle carrier 1, or be removed therefrom, as desired. To achieve this end, the hanger or lower plate 2 is provided with an annular series of circumferentially spaced, key shaped slots 10 therein which extend substantially radially thereof when the hanger plate 2 is a disk-like member. The slots 10 are of a size, where exposed by the selector plate 3, to engage with any bead 11 provided on the bottle 9, or which slots 3,1 7 3 12 to suspend or support the bottles 9 from the radially outer ends of these slots 10.

FIG. of the drawings best shows that enlarged radially inner ends 13 are provided in the key-shaped slots and that they are of a size to pass bottle necks and caps therethrough whereby a bottle neck and cap can be inserted through a portion of the slot 10 at the section 13 thereof and then be moved out to the radially outer portions of the slot 10 for positive mechanical interengagement between the bottles 9 and the slots for support and transport or storage action, as hereinafter described in more detail.

A further feature of the bottle carrier 1 is that the upper or selector plate 3 has at least one slot 14 provided in the periphery thereof. This slot 14 in the upper member or selector plate 3 is of arcuate shape and of a size to pass a bottle neck and cap therethrough. The upper and lower plates 2 and 3 are so pivotally associated with each other that the slot 14 can be brought into operative association with any one of the slots 10 whereby the enlarged sections 13 of these slots 10 will be in vertical alignment, or register with the slot 14 so that the bottle necks and caps can be passed through the slot 14 and the associated section 13 of the slot 10 and bottles can be individually inserted into the slots 10, or be released therefrom, as desired.

It will be seen that the handle 6 can be grasped and then a bottle 9 engaged with the hanger plate 2 could be pulled to rotate the hanger plate 2 with relation to the selector plate and bring the slot 14 into alignment with one of the slots 10 for bottle release action, or to insert another bottle into the bottle carrier unit 1, as desired. When loading the bottle carrier, the hanger plate 2 can be held stationarily and the selector, or upper plate 3 can be turned manually by twisting the handle 6, if desired.

It will be realized that the handle 6 can have a rope or other means attached thereto and that the entire bottle carrier unit and any bottles carried thereby could be suspended from the rope into a cooling medium, such as a lake, river or spring for cooling action on the contents of the bottles while the bottles are positively controlled.

All of the components of the bottle carrier 1 can be made from rust resistant materials, usually metals, whereby the bottle carrier 1 will be of sturdy construction but yet it can be made inexpensively from conventional means by relatively low cost, easily performed forming operations.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the lower plate 2 has a downwardly dished part 5 provided therein and the selector plate 3 is positioned in such dished portion of the lower plate to be aligned with the edges thereof. However, in some instances, the lower plate 2 may be of completely flat construction, and the upper plate still would satisfactorily coact therewith to lock bottles in the carrier 1.

Accidental rotation of the plates 2 and 3 with relation to each other is prevented in the bottle carrier 1 by means, such as a friction washer positioned intermediate the plates 2 and 3 in compression engagement therewith.

From the foregoing it is believed that it will be seen that a new and improved bottle carrier has been provided by the apparatus of the invention. Any suitable number of slots can be provided in the hanger plate 2. This bottle carrier by the slots 10 is adapted to engage either enlarged beads or bottle caps on bottles for positively attaching them to a bottle carrier. When desired, a plurality of the slots 14 may be provided in the periphery of the selector plate 3 to permit one or more bottles to be simultaneously engaged with or released from the bottle carrier, as desired. With the carrier shown, a movement of about 60 between the plates 2 and 3 is required to engage or release a bottle. The bottle carrier is sturdy, will positively grasp bottles for storage and transport thereof, and is easy to use. Hence it is believed that the objects of the invention have been achieved.

While one complete embodiment of the invention has 4 been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that modification of this particular embodiment of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is: l. A bottle carrier comprising a pair of superimposed substantially fiat members the lower one being larger than the other, said upper member being a disk, means securing said members together for relative rotation therebetween, and handle means secured to said upper member to facilitate transport of said members, said lower member having a plurality of key-shaped slots therein with enlarged end portions below said upper member for passing bottle necks and caps therethrough and with connecting slot sections extending radially beyond said upper member and terminating at points inwardly in the lower member for engaging bottle caps or any neck bead on a bottle to support a bottle on the margins thereof, said upper member having an edge slot therein of a size to pass a bottle cap therethrough and positioned to be vertically aligned with any selected one of said key-shaped slots end portions whereby rotation of said upper member relative to said lower member will bring one of said portions of said slots into register with said edge slot to permit bottles to be individually engaged by and released from the bottle carrier. 2. A bottle carrier comprising a pair of superimposed metal plates the lower one being larger than the other, said upper plate having a circular periphery, means pivotally securing said plates together for relative rotation therebetween, and metal bail-type handle means pivotally secured to said upper plate to facilitate relative rotation between said plates, said lower plate having a plurality of slots therein with portions below said upper plate for passing bottle caps therethrough and with connecting sections radially beyond said upper plate and terminating at points inwardly of the outer rim of the lower plate for receiving bottle necks and engaging said bottle caps to support a bottle on the margins thereof, said upper plate having a peripheral slot therein of a size to pass a bottle cap therethrough and being selectively positionable above one of said portions of said slots in said lower plate whereby rotation of said upper plate relative to said lower plate will bring said edge slots into operative association with one of said portions of said plurality of slots to permit bottles to be individually engaged by and released from the bottle carrier. 3. A bottle carrier comprising a pair of superimposed concentric disk-like plates the lower one being of larger diameter than the other, means pivotally securing said plates together for relative rotation therebetween, and handle means secured to the upper of said plates to facilitate relative rotation therebetween, said lower plate having a plurality of slots therein with portions below said upper plate for passing bottle caps therethrough and with connecting sections radially beyond said upper plate and terminating inwardly of the periphery of the lower plate for engaging said bottle caps to support a bottle on the margins thereof, said upper plate having an edge slot therein of a size to pass a bottle cap therethrough in the periphery thereof whereby rotation of said upper plate relative to said lower plate will bring one of said portions of said lower plate slots into register with the edge slot to permit bottles to be individually introduced into or released from the bottle carrier.

4. A bottle carrier comprising a disk-type hanger plate having a downwardly dished center portion and a plurality of radially extending slots with enlarged radially inner ends formed therein,

said slots being of a size to pass bottle caps and necks therethrough in their enlarged ends and to receive bottle necks and engage enlarged beads thereon for the remainder of their lengths,

a disk-type selector plate having one slot large enough to pass a bottle cap therethrough in the periphery thereof,

said hanger plate slots having their enlarged ends formed in said center portion of said hanger plate,

means securing said hanger plate and selector plate together in concentric relation for relative rotary movement therebetween,

said hanger and selector plates being of a size that said selector plate fills the said center portion of said hanger plate,

said slots in said hanger plate having portions extending radially beyond said selector plate to points inwardly of the periphery of the hanger plate to allow positioning of bottles in such portions thereof, and

a handle secured to said selector plate whereby one of said plates can be stationarily positioned and the other plate can be moved relative thereto for aligning said selector plate slot with one of said hanger plate slots to permit a bottle to be engaged with or be removed from one of said hanger plate slots.

5. A bottle carrier comprising a disk-type hanger plate having a plurality of slots extending radially inwardly from points inwardly of the periphery thereof with enlarged inner ends formed therein,

said slots being of a size to pass bottle caps and necks therethrough in their enlarged ends and to receive bottle necks and engage enlarged beads thereon for the remainder of their lengths,

a disk-type selector plate having one slot therein large enough to pass a bottle cap therethrough in the periphery thereof and being positionable to register with one of said enlarged ends of the hanger plate slots,

means securing said hanger plate and selector plate together in concentric relation for controlled relative rotary movement therebetween,

and a handle secured to said selector plate whereby one of said plates can be stationarily positioned and the other plate moved relative thereto for aligning said selector plate slot with one of said hanger plate slots to permit a bottle to be engaged with or be removed from the bottle carrier.

6. A bottle carrier comprising a pair of superimposed concentric disk-like plates the lower one being of larger diameter than the other,

means pivotally securing said plates together for relative rotation therebetween, and

handle means secured to the upper of said plate to facilitate carrying the bottle carrier,

said lower plate having a series of circumferentially spaced key-shaped slots therein with portions below said upper plate for passing bottle caps therethrough and with connecting section extending radially beyond said upper plate to points inwardly of the periphery of the large disk-like means for engaging bottle caps to support a bottle on the margins of any such slot,

said upper plate having a peripheral edge positioned to close portions of said key-shaped slots to lock bottles therein and having an edge slot of a size to pass a bottle cap therethrough and being movable to register with portions of said key-shaped slots to pass bottle caps through the registered slots whereby rotation of said upper plate relative to said lower plate will bring portions of said slots into register to permit bottles to be individually introduced into or released from the bottle carrier.

7. A bottle carrier comprising a pair of superimposed concentric disk-like means one being of larger diameter than the other,

means pivotally securing said means together for relative rotation therebetween, and

handle means secured to the upper of said means to facilitate carrying the bottle carrier,

the larger one of said means having a series of circumferentially spaced key-shaped slots therein with portions for passing bottle tops therethrough and with connecting sections extending radially beyond said other means to points inwardly of the periphery of the larger of the disc-like means for engaging bottle tops to support a bottle on the margins of any such slot,

the other said means having edge sections closing said slot portions but having an opening alignable with said slot portions to permit a bottle top to pass therethrough.

Matthai Nov. 22, 1932 Harris June 20, 1950 

1. A BOTTLE CARRIER COMPRISING A PAIR OF SUPERIMPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT MEMBERS THE LOWER ONE BEING LARGER THAN THE OTHER, SAID UPPER MEMBER BEING A DISK, MEANS SECURING SAID MEMBERS TOGETHER FOR RELATIVE ROTATION THEREBETWEEN, AND HANDLE MEANS SECURED TO SAID UPPER MEMBER TO FACILITATE TRANSPORT OF SAID MEMBERS, SAID LOWER MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF KEY-SHAPED SLOTS THEREIN WITH ENLARGED END PORTIONS BELOW SAID UPPER MEMBER FOR PASSING BOTTLE NECKS AND CAPS THERETHROUGH AND WITH CONNECTING SLOT SECTIONS EXTENDING RADIALLY BEYOND SAID UPPER MEMBER AND TERMINATING AT POINTS INWARDLY IN THE LOWER MEMBER FOR ENGAGING BOTTLE CAPS OR ANY NECK BEAD ON A BOTTLE TO SUPPORT A BOTTLE ON THE MARGINS THEREOF, 